A Massachusetts spa owner has been arrested after allegedly making nearly $1 million by injecting clients with counterfeit Botox and filler products, federal authorities said.
Rebecca Fadanelli, 38, the owner of Skin Beaute Med Spa in Randolph, Massachusetts, is accused of misleading clients and employees about her qualifications and performing thousands of illegal injections using fake cosmetic products over a three-year period, from March 2021 to March 2024. She reportedly earned $933,414 during this time, despite not being licensed to perform injections or dispense prescription drugs.
Fadanelli’s fraudulent practices came to light after a client’s complaint about receiving a questionable lip filler injection at her spa in September 2022. The client, who paid $275 for the procedure, reported feeling “bumps” in her lips and tingling in her forehead. When she asked Fadanelli about the substance used, the spa owner was evasive, only stating that she purchased her products from suppliers in Brazil and China. Fadanelli then allegedly used the same syringe to inject the woman between her eyebrows without her consent.
The client’s experience was not an isolated case. Several other clients reportedly complained about adverse reactions, including “droopy eyes,” “lumps” in their lips, and “sunken eyes” after receiving treatments at Skin Beaute Med Spa. Investigators discovered that Fadanelli had been injecting clients with unapproved substances, including counterfeit Botox, Sculptra, and Juvederm, which she allegedly imported from overseas suppliers.
In October 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized shipments of misbranded and unapproved injectable drugs that were sent to Fadanelli from China and Brazil. Authorities also seized products from her at Boston Logan International Airport after a return trip from Brazil.
Fadanelli, who had previously claimed that only certified nurses administered injections at her spa, was confronted by federal agents during a June 2024 search of her business. Despite evidence to the contrary, she denied performing any injections and insisted that she did not know if the products she used were FDA-approved.
Fadanelli faces multiple charges, including illegally importing goods, selling counterfeit drugs, and dispensing fake medical devices. She was arrested on November 1 and released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. A court appearance is scheduled for November 14.
In response to the arrest, Fadanelli’s business posted on social media that both of her spa locations remain open and that appointments were not canceled. Federal authorities are urging anyone who believes they were injected with counterfeit substances by Fadanelli to fill out a questionnaire available on the FDA’s website.
“This case highlights the serious risks posed by counterfeit injectable products,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “By falsely representing herself as a nurse and administering illegal, counterfeit injections, Ms. Fadanelli put countless patients at risk.”
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